第一百三十六章 第七章 责备时应有的谨慎
第七章 责备时应有的谨慎
历史和哲学有着永恒的责任，这些责任同时也是简单的责任：反抗大祭司该亚法、立法者德拉古、立法者特里马尔奇翁、皇帝提比略——这是清晰、直接、明白的，没有丝毫晦暗之处。
然而，退隐独处的权利，即使伴有不便和弊端，也必须予以陈述和考量。修行制度是一个人类问题。
当人们谈论修道院——这些错误的居所，却也是纯真的居所；迷失的居所，却也是善意的居所；无知的居所，却也是虔诚的居所；痛苦的居所，却也是殉道的居所——时，总免不了要做出肯定或否定的判断。
修道院是一种矛盾。其目标是拯救，其手段是牺牲。修道院是极端的利己主义，其结果却是极端的克己。
以退隐为目的而放弃权力，这似乎是修道制度的箴言。
在修道院中，人们通过受苦来获得享受。人们开出一张以死亡为付款期限的汇票。人们用尘世的黑暗来贴现天堂的光明。在修道院中，地狱被预先接受，作为进入天堂后的付款承诺。
披上修女的面纱或修士的法衣，是一种以永恒为代价的自杀。
在我们看来，对于这样的主题，嘲弄是不被允许的。其中一切都是严肃的，无论是善的一面还是恶的一面。
正直的人会皱起眉头，但决不会露出恶意的嘲笑。我们理解愤怒，但不理解恶毒。
History and philosophy have eternal duties, which are, at the same
time, simple duties; to combat Caiphas the High-priest, Draco the
Lawgiver, Trimalcion the Legislator, Tiberius the Emperor; this is
clear, direct, and limpid, and offers no obscurity.
But the right to live apart, even with its inconveniences and its
abuses, insists on being stated and taken into account. Cenobitism is a
human problem.
When one speaks of convents, those abodes of error, but of innocence,
of aberration but of good-will, of ignorance but of devotion, of
torture but of martyrdom, it always becomes necessary to say either yes
or no.
A convent is a contradiction. Its object, salvation; its means thereto,
sacrifice. The convent is supreme egoism having for its result supreme
abnegation.
To abdicate with the object of reigning seems to be the device of
monasticism.
In the cloister, one suffers in order to enjoy. One draws a bill of
exchange on death. One discounts in terrestrial gloom celestial light.
In the cloister, hell is accepted in advance as a post obit on
paradise.
The taking of the veil or the frock is a suicide paid for with
eternity.
It does not seem to us, that on such a subject mockery is permissible.
All about it is serious, the good as well as the bad.
The just man frowns, but never smiles with a malicious sneer. We
understand wrath, but not malice.
